Saturday morning found me on a train bound for Cardiff (environmental win) where I was to attend a course laid on by SEWBReC (South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre). The subject being covered was an introduction to Harvestmen and I was hoping that through it I’d finally gain an insight Read more…
The dry summer has really helped keep garden growth under control this year but on Saturday I could finally put off the inevitable no longer. It was time to cut the grass. I can hear your shrieks of despair from here but fear not for I had a cunning plan. Read more…
After a week spent ruing the missed opportunity to photograph Clouded Yellow butterflies there really was only one destination for us on Sunday and that, of course, was back to Whiteford. Walking down from Cwm Ivy conditions initially seemed ideal raising hopes that luck might once more be on our Read more…
Last Sunday saw us enjoy a typically varied day around Whiteford on Gower involving everything from migrant butterfly species to a military helicopter on manoeuvres from the nearby NATO summit. Even for this typically unpredictable stretch of coast that surely forms some sort of record yet it all kicked off Read more…
Saturday dawned hot and clear and it was to the sound of distant jet engines (a hint of approaching activities) that we set off to walk a section of the abandoned Thames and Severn Canal. Completed in 1789 it was conceived as part of the route from Bristol to London Read more…
Less than a week after returning from North Wales it was time to head off once more on Friday for a long weekend in the Cotswolds. Regular readers will no doubt note that this is a location that neither has a coastline nor mountains, an unusual departure from our destinations Read more…
The Aberglaslyn Pass has always offered walkers a dramatic mix of scenery and wildlife and even though the recent revival of the Welsh Highland Railway has rendered the old tunnels off limits, an alternative riverside path more than compensates. Back on Wednesday we set off from Beddgelert to tackle a Read more…
If Saturday served to remind us that winter is not yet clear of the rear view mirror then Sunday was definitely a sign that it’s days are severely numbered. Overnight the clouds had cleared leaving us to enjoy sunshine and blue skies on the drive north towards Carreg Cennen castle, Read more…
Over two weeks have passed since my last patch update but there’s certainly been plenty going on. As you may have guessed from the title above I saw my first spring migrant of the year on Monday evening with very brief views of a Swallow disappearing into the valley from Read more…
It’s probably not escaped your notice, and it certainly hasn’t mine, that the last few months have been somewhat barren on here when it comes to updates concerning my Patchwork Challenge. The reasons for this are nothing beyond the usual; lack of time, work and holidays. On a personal level Read more…